Today was give back day in the Realm, and boy did our kids enjoy giving back!  The idea behind this day is to take some time to reflect on how lucky we are to be able to enjoy all that camp has to offer, to enjoy each other,  and to get immersed in our little world where we can quite easily forget the real world and its issues for a little while. As we have done every summer since 2012 we celebrate and call attention to the notion of giving back to our community and to the world in many different and creative ways. This year Matt from World of Change came over to help us with all of that. He arrived with his custom pick-up truck that has a little chalet-style coin depository on the back. There are six individual coin slots on the back representing six different charitable categories including food, housing, health care, animal care, education and  play. He made his way to the stage and in a very engaging manner he talked to our kids about the difference every one of them could make with their spare change. He told us that Americans have  millions of dollars of spare change in their homes. He told them that one in five children suffered from food insecurity in the United States, and that a quarter could buy one of them a meal. Matt talked about how we can help provide backpacks with school supplies for children in need with their spare change, buy beds and help provide housing, provide access to health care and even help animals in shelters. He got them thinking about what kind of a charity they would donate to, if they had the opportunity. Then we armed them with hundreds of quarters and let them do just that! They decided which category they wanted to fund and began. They were very deliberate in their choices and honestly put a lot of thought into it as they put the quarters in the slots. We were so proud of them. At one point a little boy dropped a quarter on the ground by accident. His friend picked it up, handed it to him and said “Hey that’s a meal you just dropped on the ground!” The message had definitely landed well. They all received bracelets from World of Change with the email address printed on it in the event that they would want to get the World of Change van to come to their school for a community service opportunity at home.  In the event that you would like to know more about WOC here is their website https://www.worldofchange.world. I am so grateful to be part of this process that inspires and empowers kids to help others, even in small ways, like with their spare change. I am a very proud camp mom today.

Love,

Michelle